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Health

Health and healthcare are at the forefront of disability rights issues. In these pieces, you’ll find insights on topics ranging from insurance and the need for systemic change within medical institutions, to the importance of self-care for your physical and mental well-being.

A word cloud of long COVID symptoms in the shape of a face mask.

Is Long COVID Leading to a Tipping Point in Attitudes Toward Chronic Illness?

Could long COVID spell the end of medical gaslighting? Let’s hope so. When Kathy Flaherty, a 53-year-old attorney and nonprofit executive director, got COVID-19 in March 2020, her friends said, “see you in two weeks.” Two weeks came and went,…
A montage of people of different races against a rainbow of colorful squares, all wearing face masks.

We Can’t Let Our Guard (Or Our Masks) Down

Recently, I overheard my father telling my husband about how he had quit his gym membership because they were requiring people to wear a mask during workouts. His list of reasons as to why this was uncomfortable for him was…
Closeup hands of white person in pastel pink shirt with painted nails working on laptop and making notes in their notebook, which is on wooden table with a laptop and a cup of coffee.

How Working From Home Has Helped Me with Eating Disorder Recovery

Content note: discusses experiences of eating disorders, treatment, and recovery A few years ago, a couple of months before my 30th birthday, I left London and left my job. I was on the verge of being detained under the Mental…
Bobcat Front track Skid loader surrounded by grass and fallen leaves.

“Move Your Head” – A Lesson in Conquering Doubt and Worry

“What did you say?” I asked J.P. “You heard me. Move your head! It’s in the way!” We were within five inches of each other’s face. Close enough for a kiss, but the usually dreamy blue-green eyes of my husband…
A series of medical icons.

Hungry for Change: On Inaccessible, Exclusionary, and Discriminatory Care for Autistic People with Eating Disorders

Trigger warnings: eating disorders, racism/racist health disparities, mental health disparities; ableism, misogyny, gaslighting of Black women and Latinas with eating disorders, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, and oppressive barriers to care The link between autism and anorexia is an international conversation,…
Several ampoules with the COVID-19 vaccine.

As COVID-19 Vaccinations Continue, Disabled People are Once Again at the Back of the Line

My husband Leor and I have been in lockdown for a year now. Neither of us can risk getting COVID-19. I’m at high risk for being infected. I also could have serious complications or death from it due to underlying…
A menstrual pad, two tampons, and a menstrual cup against a bright blue background.

Is There Space for Disabled People in the Period Positive Movement?

Content note: menstruation As a disabled lesbian cisgender woman, taking birth control to prevent menstruation has made my life so much easier. When I first got my period as a teenager, my health was fairly stable and managing my period…
Homemade protective masks in floral patterns and pieces of cloth on a gray background.

What Do You Do When You Can’t Wear A Mask?

The following post is part of our series on perspectives from disabled and chronically ill people regarding COVID-19. This post is not intended as medical advice. While much of the rest of the world is making its way back outside,…
White tablets spilling out of a transparent brown bottle against a blue background.

Medical Breakthroughs Are Deeply Complex for Disabled People

A source of hope for one person can be a hindrance to another. Most mainstream disability-related fundraisers focus on research. The goal is often to find a treatment and ultimately, a cure. The campaigns are typically led by non-disabled folks…